The Thaipusam Chronicles

[Guest guest]

Bhakta: You have given a totally different meaning for Thaipusam. You

have said it denotes the journey towards mukthi. What is the kavadi

then?

 

Aya: Kavadi is the kadavulidam viswasatin adaiyalam (mark of one who

is a man of god). The two pots of milk is one's mind. The first is

doing one's duty and the second is sadhanai.

 

B: Then how about people who carry the kavadi for other vows?

 

Aya: It is up to them. They ask for the money and worldly riches.

Accordingly the Iraivan gives. One suppresses hunger and becomes

vegetarian. Thereafter does one remain so after the vow? Receiving

the worldly riches one will indulge the senses only.

 

B: But is it wrong to ask for education?

 

Aya: Have I said it is wrong? What I have said is pertaining the

jnana valipadu only (path to jnanam). Understand that our siddhars

who have formulated the festival did so to remind one towards the

path of jnanam. But today our people do what they fancy. Let me ask

you. How many children do you have?

 

B: Three.

 

Aya: If your three children bald their heads and torture their body

in various ways, will you then only deem to help them? Already they

are suffering, would you help them if they suffer more? If you have a

baby, will you bring it out in the hot sun and let it walk for miles

to earn your favor?

 

B: No.

 

Aya: Why?

 

B: Because it is my child. I will not want it to suffer such.

 

Aya: Like this also one is Iraivan's child. Iraivan will not want its

children to suffer. Like you, Iraivan will want its children to help

each other only. Man is so used to bribing. Hence he tries to bribe

Iraivan to give him goodies by his fasting and bodily penance.

 

People suffer due to the bad karmam they do. To remove the black hair

in one's head is not a big deal, it will soon grow. It is to remove

the Irul (darkness) in oneself which is the hardest. Now when one

closes one's eyes one will see darkness alone. Understand this thing.

It is the mayai. It causes one to not see any bliss in oneself, hence

men seek bliss via sense pleasures. The anavam is that which ties one

to Mayai. So to break the anavam is the biggest challenge. This is

the most difficult thing to do. It is the true penance.

 

Without knowing that it is this darkness in the head to be removed,

they remove

the dark hair. Do you think the Iraivan will clap its hand and enjoy

just

because you became bald and thereafter shower you with blessings?

 

(Long silence)

 

Name three great scientists.

 

B: Newton, Maxwell and Einstein.

 

Aya: Newton is the father of mechanics. Satellites, rockets, motors

and many modern devices are possible due to him. Likewise also

Maxwell. It is due to Maxwell one understands electromagnetics and

hence paves the way for modern communication. Einstein is the father

of nuclear technology and future applications. These are intellectual

giants. Have any of these performed kavadi?

 

B: Huh?.....no.

 

Aya: So understand that according to how one uses one's buddhi

(Murugan), therefore one begets the appropriate. If I tell you that

by lighting a fire from the cigarrete lighter, the sun will go round

or oil will come out from the ground, is this true?

 

B: No.

 

Aya: So buddhi is that which sees relations between one thing and

another. It can only do so if it is aware of the thing and observes,

remembers, reflects and investigates. Likewise the manam must merge

into OM for one's buddhi to become aware of the spiritual truths.

Hence the Murugan (buddhi) is the teacher of Shivan (atman). It is

termed " tanthai upadesar " .

 

Most who want to do vow to Murugan and achieve in education, what do

these do thereafter? Do they work and toil for the sake of their

community or for the sake of knowledge without care for personal

needs? Do you know that Newton, Einstein and Maxwell sacrificed

themselves for the sake of their quest with little attention to their

personal lives? But unlike them most will want big car, big house,

name and prestige only.

 

B: So must we forsake Thaipusam?

 

Aya: Son, let the people do what they want. It is between them and

Iraivan. One goes to the temple for a day with much gala. The next

day itself one will forget about the Murugan. In one day how many

times does one remember the Murugan? But one will remember many other

things. If I come to you for the sake of this and that, I might get

it from you, but can I get your close acquaintance? It is like that

with Iraivan also. It yearns for anbu only. Likewise man yearns for

this also from others. According to one's past actions one gets

sufferings. If one wants to reduce this 'pavam' (bad karma) one must

do 'punyam' (good karmam). The way to help is to help other living

beings alone. The Iraivan doesn't need one's help.

 

Much money is spent on this gala festivals. Many poor people come to

the temple on Thaipusam. If the money is directed to them, their

problems are lifted at the moment. But does this happen? One's heart

is dark, then how will the Murugan shine through? Much milk is poured

on Murugan. These overflow and finally get thrown into the drain. Why

does this happen?

 

In one's home will one waste the prasadam? One will eat it and value

the money used to buy it. But when it comes to public property no one

cares. The milk can be directed to those needy or some way can be

found to use it without wasting. All of us are from the same

ancestors. Hence we are one family.

 

If we go back a few thousands of years we will have shared the same

ancestors. If I put a few people of different races with a few

indians will you not be able to identify the Indians?

 

B: I will.

 

Aya: Why?

 

B: They share the same characteristics.

 

Aya: So understand this is due to sharing the same ancestors only.

 

One expects only the politicians and NGO's to do humanatarian work.

As laypersons none get together and do the necessary. On Sunday most

will shake leg and watch tv. But this day can be used to help others,

is this not so?

 

B: How to identify the needy and poor?

 

Aya: Go to a school. See those who are at the back of the class. Most

of these will come from the poor. One can ask the headmaster also.

When one is born, one is pure. The child does not know greed,

backbiting and manipulation. That is why the adults love small

children. These do not know cunning and lewdness.

 

Only when one grows up one does all this. One who is born into poor

surroundings have higher possibilities of doing social ills. So help

these. One can help by giving free lessons, giving food, money etc.

Even a simple guide of filling up forms or simple instructions can

help many who are illiterate and without social, political and

economical clout.

 

If many people get together in this venture, one only need to

contribute a small amount. One will donate rm100 once or twice. But

ten people can get together and donate rm10 per month and save a poor

family by buying food. Today there is the internet. One can take the

proactive stance and arrange for a meeting of similar minded

laypersons belonging to a same area to meet in a particular temple

and discuss. These none will do. One will keep on talking this fellow

is bad, that fellow is useless and so on. Helping the man,one's

karmam will lessen. One will progress faster.

 

B: But many say that they have powers during kavadi, hence they could

put alavu and so on?

 

Aya: Good, let them do that.

 

B: But...

 

Aya: Look. What is the point of telling these off? The mind is the

guru. They will do what they want. When the trance comes, is one

walking with bhakti to Murugan? One will walk as the deity itself and

bless many. Look at how they carry their chest and walk with pride.

Know that the anavam is to be killed. Pride is the manifestation of

anavam. They will walk with fear inspiring gestures. They revel in

others being frightened of them. They shout and show an angry face.

What is all this? Does this not stem from anavam? Truly the jandu

only has vibrated in these. Most just do play acting alone. The next

day can you see any godly and good qualities in them? They will be

the same person alone. So what has the trance given them? It has only

given them escapism into their fantasy land of being worshipped by

the foolish people. They want to appear tough, gory and invoke fear

in the minds of the people.

 

B: But how could they take the piercing?

 

Aya: Anyone with enough guts can take the piercing. One does not need

trance for this. Many aborigines and now modern youngsters too pierce

for fashion.

 

B: But people say they get extra strength during the trance?

 

Aya: Ha,ha,ha,ha.

 

B: Why are you laughing?

 

Aya: I will tell you something. I am not keen in boxing, I remember

Mike Tyson only. Let us say I bring the Mike Tyson as he was during

his heydays, or even the current boxing champion..can any one of your

trance-man with superpower knock him out?

 

B: Hmmm....

 

Aya: He can't. Iron Mike will give a punch and knock his teeth out

before he could cry 'mama'. Do you know why is the reason?

 

B: Because he trains.

 

Aya: There you are. Not only this. Many humans have trained and done

superhuman feats. Look at the olympic athletes. Can the trance-man

manage even one event and break a record using his so called extra

physical powers? Some even do superhuman stunts. I have seen a man

pulling an airbus. None of these invoked any deities. They train

their god given body systematically and hence manage such feats.

Likewise if one performs vow for Murugan but never does revision,

homework etc. one will fail miserably only. Look at the Chinese, they

are the least religious, yet they study hard, hence they pass their

exams. This is the truth my son.

 

Understand that the festival of Murugan is to teach the inner meaning

of spiritual journey. One does the rituals by knowing the inner

meaning. And one doesn't stop there. One walks the path daily. But to

know the inner meaning one must ask what is Kavadi; why it is had

during this particular month; what does removal of hair signify; why

the milk is poured on Murugan; why is Thaipusam on the full moon;

why the ratham comes from sakthi temple to the Murugan temple and

then goes back; why is Idumban given the meat; who is the Idumban;

what is the ratham and so on. But none reflect on these deeply nor

ask, hence they do what they fancy and pray for the goodies from

Murugan, none pray to beget the Murugan itself.

 

B: How about saivam (non vegetarian)?

 

Aya: In days of yore Dravidyans were seafarers. They ate meat. It

gives energy in the shortest period. But today the meat is not like

yesteryears. The poultry and cattle are fed drugs and stand stagnant

and confined. These are unhealthy if one eats meat everyday. One

should have a balanced meal.

 

B: You have talked about caste formerly. You have pinpointed its

stupidity. It is due to caste and as per instructed in Manu smitri

that sea travel stopped and trade stagnated. Without exchange of

knowledge of different clans, technology stagnated. How could our

forefathers come to such a state?

 

Aya: Man forever is attracted to class and status. As men became

more, they easily became attracted to the luring of caste. This is

because they started to forget their past common roots and struggles.

 

B: The Aryans are responsible for this!!!

 

Aya: It is immaterial who is responsible. Now all have mixed and

become the same Indian. The victim and propagator are equally guilty

for letting the system to ruin their lives for aeons. It is our own

forefathers who have d to this stupid idea. We can undo

this. Whatever it is, forget subscribing to caste idea when it comes

to business,education and friendship. Only if one's community is rich

one can sustain, if not one comes down together soon with the rest.

Understand this well.

 

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